Adjustable clamping device.



F. J. MADELL.

ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING DEVIOE.

APPLIGATION FILED APRJI, 1914.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

INVENTOR WITNESSES sas a.

ADJUSTABLE CLAMTEING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed April 11, 191 Serial H0. 831,275.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. MADELL, a subject of the King of England, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Clamping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved clamping device which is adjustable, the device being adapted to support a rod at various points, being particularly adapted for use in display stands, dress forms, and other structures at which an element is to be supported at difierent heights.

The invention provides a device of this kind in which the clamp is made up of two members, one a socket, the other a latch, these being assembled or separated without tools when they are removed fromthe rod that they support, the rod acting to prevent their separation.

The device further embodies a clamp which is rotatable on its base, whereby when w the supported rod is turned the clamp turns with it and the rod is thus saved from the cutting action it would be subjected to if the rod turned in the clamp.

The invention also embodies a clamp of this kind with a tripping means that quickly releases the clamp so that the supported rod can be shifted.

The clamp is simply constructed, being operable without springs and having parts requiring a minimum amount of finishing or drilling before they are assembled.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top view of my improved clamp. Fig. 2 is a side view of the clamp shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 in Fig. 1.

The device can be attached to any suitable base or support as the base of a dress-form, show rack or display stand, the form shown in the drawing comprising a supporting tube 10 on a base 11, the supporting tube having on its top end the clamp. It will be understood that this manner of supporting the socket of the clamp is not essential and can be changed to meet different constructions and situations. On the supporting tube is the socket member 12 of the clamp, the socket comprising a body portion or tubular part 13 having a bore 14 through it, the bore receiving'the supporting tube 10 and also the rod 15 which is the supported element, and acting in turn to support anything for which it is adapted, such as a dress-form or display rack. The socket member 12 has a shoulder 16 in the bore 14: to support the socket, the socket having a pin 17 passing through it and also lying in a groove 18 in the top end of the supporting tube 10 so that the socket member is held against upward movement but it can rotate on the top of the tube 10.

A latch 19 is mounted on the socket and adapted to swing thereon and thus engage or clear the edge of the rod according to whether it is to lock or release it. The form of latch and its method of attachment shown in the drawing embodies an abutment 20 projecting up from one side of the socket, the opposite side of the socket forming a wall 21 against which the rod 15 is adapted to be forced. The socket has a transversely cut-away part 22, the walls 23 of the abutment 20 forming one side of the cut-away part having a transverse groove 2-1. The latch has a bar 25-fitting the groove and adapted to swing therein, the bar being easily laid in the groove when the rod 15 is not in the clamp. The clamp has its pivoted end formed into a stirrup,'the inner edge 26 of the stirrup end bearing against the edge of the rod 15, the edge being preferably inclined to the rod and thus presenting a sharp edge to the rod. The side arms 27 of the latch extend beyond the rod 15, and are provided with a weighted portion 28, the weight tending to keep the latch in its operative or binding position. To prevent the accidental withdrawal of the rod 15 from the socket, the rod may be provided with an enlargement 29 or similar fixture to engage the shoulder 16 of the socket.

Suitable mechanism for tripping the latch i to release it may be installed, this being usually done by raising the weight 28. In the as erases;

form shown, a stem 30 slides in a bearing 31 on the socket and rests on a lever 32' drawn from the groove 24 and lifted out or inserted through the open portion 22. V

The operation ofthe latch-inthis construction is in the nature ofa toggle and it binds the rod 15 tightlyin the socket, since the distance between the edge :26 and the pivotal point of the swinging of the latch is greater than the distance between said point and the edge of the rod 15. The distance is not veryjmuch greater in the form as shown in the drawing, and this causes a Very tight binding of the latch in the rod. The'wide bearing of the bar 25 in the groove24: ex-

tends the wear over a considerable area and the clamp lasts a long time because the wear is not appreciable and there is no decided retreating of the edge 26 from the edge of the rod 15, due to any wear. 7

"Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An adjustable clamping device comprising a socket having a bore therein, a rod in the bore, the socket on one side having a wall adapted to be frictionally engagedby 25 the'rod, an abutment on the socket on the side of the rod opposite said Wall, the inner face of the abutment having a transverse groove, a latch having one end formed into a stirrup with a bar on its end to fit into'the groove whereby the bar is held in the groove so that it can swing therein, the inner end of the stirrup being adapted to have its edge engage the rod to lock the rod and also act ing to prevent the displacement of the bar from the groove, the outer end of the stirrup passing around the wall and having a weight thereon, and means for yieldingly pressing the latch to its operative position.

2. In an adjustable clamping device, a rod, a socket having a bore and a transverse opening, the socket also having a groove arranged in one of the walls of theopening, the opposite wall of the opening being adapted to be frictionally engaged by the rod, and a latch having a bar arranged in the groove whereby the latch can swing, the

' latch also having an edge to engage the side Copies oi'this patent may be obtained for of the rod to lock the bar in the socket, the

adapted to be frictionally engaged by the rod, a latch having a bar arranged in the groove whereby the latch can swing, thelatch also having an edge to engage the side of the rod to lock the bar between said edge and the opposite wall, the rod when in place locking the bar in the groove, side arms on the latch extending beyond the socket, a weight on the end of the arms and connecting them, and means for raising the weight to permit the release of the rod by the edge ofthe latch. v

t. An adjustable clamping device comprising a supporting tube having an annular groove near its end, a socket having a bore therein, the bore being provided with a shoulder to rest on theend of the tube, a pin passing through the socket and the groove to permit the relative rotation of the tube and socket, a rod sliding in the socket and tube, a latch on the socket, and yielding means for forcing the latch against the rod.

5. An adjustable clamping device comprising a supporting tube having an an nular groove near its end, a socket having a bore therein, the bore being provided with a shoulder to rest on the end of the tube, a pin 7 .bore therein, the bore being provided with a shoulder to rest on the end of the tube, a pin passing through the socket and the groove to permit the relative rotation of the tube and socket, a rod sliding in the socket and tube, a latch surrounding the rod and having one end pivoted to the socket, the latch having an opening to receive the rod, one side of the opening forming a gripping edge for engaging the rod, the free end of the latch being weighted, a bearing on the socket, a

stem sliding in the bearing and having its upper end adapted to engage the under side of the weight, and means for raising the stem. s w

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March, 1914:. I

FREDERICK J. MADELL. Witnesses: WM. H. CAMFIELD, M. A. J OHNSON. V

five cents each, by aduressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. a 

